75. A SONG OF VERTU.
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[From MS. Harl. 2255, fol. 12 to 14.]
1
As of hony men gadren out swetnesse,
Of wyn and spices is maad good ypocras,
Fro silver wellys þat boyle vp with fresshnesse
Cometh cristal watir rennyng a gret pas;
So as Phebus perceth thoruh the glas,
With briht beemys, shynyng in his speere,
Byforn our dayes this prouerbe provid was,—
Of prudent folk men may vertu leere.
2
Quyk lusty sprynges, that boile vp in the welle,
Do gret refresshyng and counfort to the siht,
Mong holsom herbys in vertu that excelle,
What folwith aftir makith hertis glad and liht;
Good hair a morwe aftir the dirke nyht,
Passyng holsom al sesouns of the yeere,
Concludyng thus of verray trouthe and riht,—
W[h]o sueth vertu, vertu he shal leere.
3
Frut fet fro fer tarageth of the tre,
Wyn takith his pris of the holsom vyne,
Of puryd flour maad holsom breed parde,
As clerkys wyse is holsom the doctryne;
The wyntres nyht is glad whan sterrys shyne,
Somer toward whan buddys first appeere,
And the Maydewh round lik perlys fyne,—
Who sueth vertu, vertu he shal leere.
4
Ech thyng of kynde drawith to his nature,
Som to profite in wysdam and science,
Som also to studyen in scripture,
A fool is dullyd of slouth and necligence;
Konnyng conqueryd with long experyence,
Which noble tresour may nat be bouht to deere,
And who that doth his enteer dilligence,—
Vertu to sewe, vertu he shal leere.
5
A yong braunch wol soone wexe wrong,
Dispoosyd of kynde for to been a crook,
The ffyr of nature wyl growe vpriht and long,
Hoot ffir and smoke makith many an angry cook;
The fissh for beit goth to the angil-hook,
The larke with song is Phebus massageer,
A thryvyng scoler riht eerly to his book,—
Who sewith vertu, vertu he shal leere.
6
Off rethoricyens men lerne fressh language,
Of hooly seyntes procedith parfitnesse,
Of furyou[s] folk debate and gret outrage,
Of marcial pryncis vertuous hih noblesse,
Of wise wisdam, of gentil gentillesse;
For lyk hymsilf kynd wyl ay appeere,
A cherl of nature wil brayde on rewdnesse,—
Who seweth vertu, vertu he shal leere.
7
Lusty hertys in gladnesse them delite,
Set al ther study on occupacioun,
In ioye and myrthe, riht as an ypocrite
Reioysith hymsylf in symylacioun;
And bakbiters in fals detraccioun,
To hurt wers than brymbyl, busk, or breere,
Contrary to vertu of condicioun,—
Who sueth vertu, vertu he shal leere.
8
Off knyhtis knyhthood expert in pees and werre;
Marchauntys by travayle gadre greet richesse;
Be nedle and stoon and by the lood-sterre,
Maryners ay ther cours they dresse;
And massageers with wacch and gret swiftnesse,
Texpleyte ther iourne al tymes of the yeere,
Ther grettest foo is slouthe and ydilnesse,—
To alle tho that vertu list to leere.
9
Love Hooly Chirche, do therto reuerence,
Do no man wrong, mayntene rihtwisnesse;
Thouh thu be strong, do no violence,
Specially no poore man oppresse;
With glad herte parte thyn almesse;
In prosperite be nat to proud of cheere,
In aduersite be pacient with meeknesse;
Sewe aftir vertu, and vertu thu shalt leere.
10
Touchyng also thyn occupacioun,
Departe thy tyme prudently on thre,
First in prayer and in orisoun,
Trauayl among is profitable to the;
Reede in bookys of antiquyte,
Of oold stooryes be glad good thyng to heere,
And it shal tourne to gret comodite,—
Sewe aftir vertu, and vertu thu shalt leere.
11
Be no sloggard, fle from ydilnesse;
Connyng conquer by vertuous dilligence;
Slouthe of vices is cheef porteresse,
And a step-moodir to wysdam and science;
Labour cheef guyde to profit in prudence,
With vertuous lyff take heed of this mateere,
Withdrawe thyn hand from froward necligence;
Sewe aftir vertu, and vertu thu shalt leere.
12
Sith thu were wrouht to be celestial,
Lat resoun brydle thy sensualite,
Geyn froward lustys flesshly and bestial,
Ageyn al wordly disordinat vanyte;
With fortunys fals mutabilite,
Peysed how short tyme thu shalt abyden heere,
Pray Crist Ihesu, of mercy and pite,
Or thu parte hens, vertu so to leere.
13
With tyme and space and goostly remembraunce,
Of oold surfetys to haue contricioun,
Shrifft, and hosyl, and hooly repentaunce,
With a cleer mynde of Crystes passioun,
His v. woundys and blood that raileth doun,
Vpon the Cros He bouht the so deere,
Cleyme of His mercy to haue possessioun,
With Hym to dwelle above the sterrys cleere.
Explicit.
